Enemy in his midst
by enchanttheme
Summary: They were almost close to closing down the Black organization. But this time how would Shinichi answer when the very thing he has protected has started protecting the very cause he was trying to end.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or any of its characters.

"I'm going out for a bit Dad!"

A mass of chocolate brown hair swiftly coursed through the door before it closed and a tall young woman emerged from the stairwell of Mouri Detective Agency. Her glossy hair bobbed up and down as she dashed to catch the almost leaving bus. She imploriously waved her hand, hoping the bus driver would take notice of her and luckily he saw her flapping long arm from his side mirror. She jumped to the bus' landing and thanked the driver for waiting.

She found herself a seat, positioned her sling bag on her lap when something fell from the slight opening of her bag. It was Conan's cellphone.

_The school bell rang._

_ Students immediately flooded the corridors with noise and endless chatters. Amidst them were Ran and Ran's bestfriend Sonoko. Sonoko unrelentingly pestered her about the incident in London when Shinichi spontaneously confessed to Ran, leaving her flustered and shy. _

_ On the way out they spotted Conan and his gang. Genta comically playing storyteller as the others listened except one – he was busy playing with his soccerball._

_ "Conan what are you guys doing here?" Ran inquired as they went near them._

_ "Ran-neesan I came to tell you I'm going home late."_

_ Genta excitedly opened his mouth to share a new case they were working on when Conan hurriedly covered his mouth and dragged him away. "See you later, Ran-neesan." Conan waved from the distance._

_ "What the heck was that?" Ran looked at their retreating backs._

_ "Kids." Sonoko dismissed._

_ Ran caught something gleaming from the ground. She picked it up. _

_ Conan's telephone._

_ I'll just return it to him tonight, she thought._

She planned to return it to him last night but she forgot. Deciding to return it to Conan, she stood up and climbed down the bus. Good thing the bus stopped for a full minute before it left for the next stop.

_So much for not being late._

Her mother had arranged for them a full day of mother-daughter bonding. She would just call her Mom and inform her she'll be a bit late.

She was on her way to Doctor Agasa's house where she knew Conan was hanging out for the moment. Sometimes she wonders why he keeps hanging out with Doctor Agasa when he has the liberty of mingling with people more his age, with more appropriate company. Kids these days.

That just sounded disrespectful on Dr. Agasa's part. Sorry Dr Agasa, she chastised.

She did not bother knock when she saw the front door was open. She came in and closed the door behind her. After all she and Shinichi always used to be around him when they were young, making him almost like a family.

She took off her shoes and replaced them with sleepers.

Being too familiar with the house's layout, she located them in no time. She saw them talking albeit seriously. With creased brows she silently went near the door and was about to greet both of them and excuse herself from the sudden interruption and from barging in the house unannounced when he heard Dr. Agasa call Conan Shinichi.

"Shinichi your dad is saying that the feds are almost close to uncovering the Black Organization's secrets and Haibara, who is now working closely with the US lab, and her team is almost close to perfecting the antidote. Your dad is advising you to fly to the US and work together with secret agency…" Dr. Agasa squeezed his shoulders. "It's almost over Shinichi…"

Conan nodded his head. It still felt surreal and utterly unbelievable that they were this close to solving the case. Finally after a few years of catch and chase, it was almost over. He could finally return to his normal self… and size. After all this is done then only one problem remains. He frowned, the last problem might be harder to crack than the black organization. As much as he was afraid of not being able to return to his normal form and living his life as Kudo Shinichi, there was another matter much terrifying than that… Ran's fury.

Ran had heard enough. Had understood enough. She was right in the gut when she thought that Conan was Shinichi because he really was… The signs had always been there but she was just stupid enough to not piece it together… No it wasn't stupidity, it was the fear… the fear of acknowledging the fact that he did not trust her enough to keep his secret… that he did not care for her enough to tell her the truth… that all those times when she was lonely and suffering from not seeing him, not knowing where he was, how he is… he was just there close to her, disregarding her pain.

She was shaking from anger, from confusion, and pain.

_Why Shinichi, why? _

With tears streaming down her eyes, she silently left the house.

000000

That night, she locked herself in her room. Mouri Kogoro left that same afternoon for a three day conference. With no sleeping Kogoro popping out for the past eight months which she had a peculiar feeling that Shinichi was somehow involved, her dad has carried himself well enough, finally achieving the title of Awaked Kogoro. A hilarious title indeed and she also had her fair share of laughter when he was given such a _bragging_ name. Title aside, he has actually become a pretty good detective himself, still not as great as the most renowned young detective she thought bitterly, but a good detective nonetheless. They were even moving to a larger office and a new house a week from now. Now that's saying something from what her dad has recently accomplished and what he would continuously accomplish in the future.

Her heart painfully constricted when she heard the front door open.

"Ran-neesan." He knocked.

With heavy feet, she turned the knob.

"I just came to get my things Ran-neesan. I'm going back to America tomorrow… I know it's sudden but my parents want me there as soon as possible and I…" he hurriedly explained but stopped when Ran only stared blankly at him, her eyes void of emotions.

"Let me help you pack then." She strode out of her room to his father's to get his stuff.

After packing she gave him his cellphone which she did not get the chance to give and instead learned of a well kept secret.

Conan took the phone from her, visibly worried.

"Don't worry I did not try to open it." She said flatly.

Surprised with her tone lacking concern, he studied her.

"Is something wrong Ran-neesan?"

_Do you even have to ask Shinichi?_ A voice in her head wanted her to say.

She tried to keep herself composed even though her insides were melting.

"No."

Not the least bit satisfied with her answer, he probed by tilting his head to the side, trying to be cute. Conan knew for a fact that adults especially girls go gaga for a cute child. "Are you sure, ran-neesan?"

Completely unaffected, came her monosyllabic response again. "Yes"

_Just go already_…

Resigned, he just nodded and turned to exit the door.

"Why?" came the strangled voice of Ran from his back.

_Why?_ Conan confusedly repeated in his mind. He looked at his cellphone and something clicked. His fast brain has added two and two together.

He kept his back on her. "Were you in Dr. Agasa's house this morning to give me this?"

She nodded as though he could see her.

_So she heard everything_…

"Why?" Ran repeated again.

Conan sighed. "Because I care for you."

"That's bullshit! If you cared for me enough then you would have told me! Not to allow me to wallow in my pain day after day, losing my mind just thinking of your whereabouts and why you have to suddenly disappear." She raged.

Still keeping his back to her, he stressed. "I cared for you enough to keep you away from danger."

She laughed hysterically. "You cared... for me… why do I find that funny."

Angered he stepped at the nearby table so that they were somehow leveled. One of the down lows of being Conan.

He gently shook her. "Are you even hearing yourself? If I did not care for you then why would I have stayed here in Japan if I could have just gone to America. I have a better chance of closing down the black org if I was there."

"That's what I keep asking myself Con- Shinichi." She corrected bitterly. "If you cared for me enough then you could have just told me the truth face flat then went to America. I would have still worried, yes, but I wouldn't have been as hurt and as worthless as I'm feeling now…"

The tears she kept in check now flowed freely from her lifeless blue orbs. "How could you Shinichi… how could you? How can you trust me so less and them more?"

Totally losing his cool, he shouted at her. " It's because I love you alright! I just can't risk it… I just can't risk you… I can't lose you."

The words somehow soothed her tattered heart but it was not enough to mold it back together. It wasn't even enough the stop the hammering pain she felt in her chest. "And you think you're not losing me now…"

His eyes filled with fear but he knew that at this moment no words could reach her.

_Damn it._

He could plead but there's no use in it now. He could grovel but it's not yet the right time for that.

He took something from his jean pocket and clamped it on her neck. The silver chain surrounded her neck and at the center was the engagement ring Shinichi was supposed to give her when he told her the truth that night at the hotel.

Ran just looked at the necklace dangling on her neck.

"I was about to give you that that night… I was supposed to tell you the truth and eventually propose but then…"

"Duty called." Ran added. "That has always been between us Shinichi. Your work."

"That's unfair Ran."

With a heavy heart she formed the words she thought she'd never say, not to him at least, "I don't know what's fair anymore Shinichi… I think it's best for you to go…"

Defeated, Conan jumped down the table and looked one last time at Ran.

"I love you Ran Mouri… I always had and I always will. I'll come back when all this is over and put some sense in that pretty little head of yours."

When he left, she allowed herself to crumble to the ground and cried and cried until her eyes hurt and swelled.

It was getting harder and harder for her to breath at the place where she and _him_ had shared wonderful memories together. It started to suffocate her. She lifted her feet from where she was slumped and scurried out of the agency. She welcomed the heavy downpour of rain and walked with no particular direction in mind.

She was near the alley when she heard heavy footsteps closing in, she turned around and saw herself being surrounded by men in black suit, three to be exact. Two men held each of her arms as the man with long silver hair pointed a gun at her.

"I think Kudo Shinichi would get the message once we send him your head as a landing gift at the airport."

Her eyes grew wide at the mention of his name. Then it clicked so this was the group he was hiding his identity from.

Her pent up anger fueled her rage. She bent down before the bullet sliced through her head and kicked the silver man holding the gun, the gun flew to the sky and he fell to the ground. She concentrated her strength to both her arms and pulled the two men closer so their heads collided with each other and kicked them hard on the chest then on their head, twisting their necks. They lay motionless on the wet ground.

With her swift karate move, she caught the gun in the air and pointed it to the silver-haired man.

"If it was this easy killing you guys then I could have done so myself but Shinichi was just too stubborn to realize that I could take care of myself."

Feeling rejuvenated instead of terrified, he laughed hard. "Interesting. I thought I didn't need to bring back up… I think I may have another plan for you.

He stood up.

She was primed to shoot. She pulled the trigger.

The roar of the gunshot joined in with the sound of rain.

And it was only the night that lay witness to Ran unconscious and in the arms of Silver.

To be continued.

A/N: Well how was it for my first attempt to RanxShinichi pairing? I hope it turned out to your likings. As to the update I can't promise a fast update but will try to update as soon as I can especially if this fic would earn a great following. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

THE USUAL DISCLAIMER APPLIES.

FOREWARNING: If you are a hardcore canon fan then this fanfic may not be for you… but with an open mind everyone is welcome to read through!

Conan followed the thinning crowd out of the aircraft to the baggage claim area. His observant eyes easily spotted his luggage from one of the turning baggage carousels. He went over and tried to yank his belongings out of the slow-turning wheel albeit unsuccessful. He grimaced.

This time, fully annoyed at his meagerness, he gathered all his strength and extended his arms again but stopped midway through when a pair of large hands took the handle of his suitcase, pulled it out and set it down.

Conan managed a small thank you in English, still visibly annoyed. The man replied by raising his baseball cap and shortly squandering away. Conan on the other hand dragged his blasted suitcase to the arrival area.

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"Shinichi! Shinichi!" Her mom waved as she spotted him in the thin crowd of foreigners and citizens alike.

Conan scowled, "I'm still Conan, Mom."

"Oh yes. Right. Then I can do this."

Her swift movement took Conan off guard as she swept him off his feet and into her arms, successfully locking him in a tight embrace. When she released him, he was ten shades redder both from embarrassment and from lack of breathing space.

_This is one of the reasons why I didn't want to stay with my parents, Ran..._

At the sudden remembrance of her, he sobered, his chest suddenly tightening. His parents noticed the sudden change in him. He filled them in vaguely about the talk he had with Ran but the details he kept to himself.

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Her head throbbed like mad, that was Ran's first thought as she opened her eyes.  
And as she did so, her eyes met unfamiliar territory. She carefully surveyed her surroundings and from the aching in her lower back she concluded that she was in some cheap motel room.  
A scene from a movie she watched with Sonoko suddenly played in her mind. Panicked, she felt herself and tried to look at what she was wearing...if she was indeed wearing anything.

_Look down._

But instead she looked up, wanting to build enough courage. When she finally had enough strength in her to look down, she sighed in relief. She was still wearing the same clothes she wore last night.

_Or was it last night? _her active mind probed.

She tried to recall anything that happened after that night but nothing came, the last thing  
she remembered was firing the gun then everything went black.

She was in deep contemplation when the door barged open. She almost jumped from her stiff bed.

The same long silver haired man emerged from the door.

Alarmed, she stood up and readied her fighting stance with aching back and all. She tried to soothe the rapid beating of her heart. "Where am I?"

He simply looked at her, invited himself in and set the black suitcase down by small table at the corner of the room.

"Where am I?" she repeated, her gaze not wavering.

Irritated at her squawking in the wee hours of the morning when he clearly lacked sleep was unforgivable, he pulled out his gun and pointed it at her.

She shivered when a chilly voice rose from her back.

"Silver Tequilla."

"Gin." his tone was disapproving but lowered his gun just the same.

She looked back in apprehension and saw another man with the same long silver hair who was leaning smugly on the bathroom door. Now she had goosebumps all over her as she realized he was there in the room, all the while waiting for her next move.

These guys are dangerous.

_You just figured that out now._

She looked from one man to the other. They looked almost alike, from their smart nose to their pointed chin and their tall lanky bodies. Except that the one who pointed a gun at her had azure green eyes and the other man who seemingly looked familiar despite seeing him for the first time had raven blue eyes.

Feeling backed in the corner with no means of escape, she demanded again, giving emphasis on each word, "Where am I? What do you want from me?"

They regarded her as though it was the most idiotic thing to ask.

One name registered in their minds, Shinichi.

"I don't understand where you're going here..." she said deadpanly.

Gin smiled darkly, "We know you know that that kid and Kudo Shinichi are one and the same…"

She just stared blankly into Gin, not giving anything away. Her instinct wanting nothing more than to protect.

"Did you let her inhale too much drug Silver?" Gin inquired.

In which Silver replied with a detached shrug.

Gin slowly neared her and held his gun towards her forehead. "We don't have any need for you then."

Her vision never lost focus, challenging him to pull the trigger. This wasn't the first time  
a gun faced her but this might probably be the last time there would be.

She was scared alright, terrified even. But death being her everyday buddy, with much gratitude to her dad and to her childhood bestfriend, made her swallow all her worries away and let logic do the thinking while adrenaline fueled her courage.

She could take them on.

She was about to raise her hand and spat the gun out of his hand when he lowered it. Confusion overtook her at his unwarranted action.

Gin bizzarely laughed, confusing her all the more.

What were they planning?

Silver quietly studied her, inwardly acknowledging how she would really fit her new role once  
everything was done.

Gin opened the black attaché case to expose several injections.

Thoroughly stunned as to what she saw, her heart stopped, making her lose her breath. She shivered, her mind flooded with thoughts of needles and her.

She must escape NOW.

From the corner of her eyes, she looked at the window - closed.  
The front door - blocked by Silver. She inwardly sighed, the bathroom was her only choice.  
She crossed the little distance in a flash, not minding to look back, and locked the door  
behind her. She spotted a window. She hopped to the toilet seat and tried to open the window  
but it wouldn't budge. Panicked she regarded her knuckles... No she couldn't smash it with her hands, the glass won't shatter completely.

She looked at the door...

Why weren't they pursuing her?

Think later, escape first.

She hurriedly looked for anything solid and saw a wooden toilet plunger. She hit the glass thrice  
with all her might and climbed the window sill. She looked down, she was probably 12 feet up the ground.

The door suddenly burst open.

She did not dare look at the intruder but she dared jump. Once in the air she bent her legs and successfully landed on her toes, allowing her bent legs to absorb some of the energy. Now in the absolute mercy of the ground, she rolled forward with her weight as her arms braced the impact.

Safely sprawled on the ground she breathed heavily, her body lax. She rested for a second then gathered her last ounce of strength to stand.

As she stood her eyes came in level with something black.

"That was quite a stunt."

She tried to move but two men from each of her side firmly strapped her in place.  
She stubbornly jerked away but their hold on her just tightened.

"Stop moving." a voice from her left firmly ordered.

Her head automatically bobbed left, she locked eyes with intense challenging green eyes.

"Then why don't you just shoot me? You were itching to just awhile back" she countered. She did not know where her blunt courage was coming from but she chose to just go with it.

"Stubborn woman. Don't tempt me."

"Relax Silver." Gin smoothly ordered which the latter acknowledged.

"You prove to be more than what we expected." Gin scratched his pointy chin as he surveyed her.

"Aren't you afraid?"

She was afraid. But curse her if she'll let them notice. "I'll die either way so why be afraid." she answered boldly.

His laughter exploded, disturbing the silence of the night.

"Perhaps it hasn't occurred to you yet... the persons you're leaving when you die. Wouldn't you care what will happen to them now that we know their relationship with Kudo Shinichi?" he caressed his gun in slow vertical movement.

Her brain entirely shut down, her emotions taking the better of her. "You wouldn't dare! Shin-Kudo will never allow that to happen."

"Yes indeed. He will protect them just like how he was protecting you all this time. Hiding the truth from you just so he can keep you from harm... but aren't you mad? Well it's a given that his parents knew but why does that old Dr know?"

She balled her hands, angry.

He knew the right cord to pluck.

"And the only girl aside from his mom that was supposed to know was you wasn't it, but funny how you were never included in their little circle. So you go on wondering where Kudo was when he was with you all along. Sucks doesn't it?"

He looked at her sidewardly, his black hat leaning to the left, his eyes glinting of mockery.  
"Don't you just feel betrayed?" He continuously added wood to the fire.

But she refused to be engulfed by it. She moved her head to the side, "Whatever I feel is none of your business."

"Still acting tough are we..."

He pulled out an injection.

She squirmed again." I'd rather die being shot than by getting the _shot_..." her eyes pointed to the needle. Silver held her arm in place as Gin injected the fluid inside her.

Horrified eyes zeroed in on the intrusive object that clipped her skin. It was slowly releasing unwanted fluid through her system.

They released her from their hold.

Cold.

She suddenly felt cold.

She instantly hugged herself but it did not seem to soothe her.

Suddenly all was still.

She could not hear a single sound from her captors and even from hers.

She opened her mouth but no sound came.

Or was there... but she wasn't hearing it?

She looked around her and saw blurry figures.

She blinked to clear the fogginess of her vision but it remained clouded.

She tightly closed her eyes.

Her head was as heavy as a rock, forcing her to slowly slide to the ground.

Two streams of hot liquid journeyed down her face, slightly warming her pale face.

They were probably laughing at the pathetic sight of hers.

Where was her strength when she needed it?

Where was he...

Where was he when she needed him?

Her lips formed a bitter smile.

It was her fault.

If only she did not let her emotions get the better of her...

If only she tried to listen to him and gave him time to explain...

Then maybe things would have been different...

Maybe then they would have been together now laughing the whole thing out after she gave him a punch here and there.

If only...

But it was too late now.

She did not have the power to turn back time, her mind cryptically reminded her.

As if I did not knew that.

With her last breath, she serenely smiled as she pictured an image of Shinichi.

_You stupid idiot._

He would say that for sure.

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Conan tossed and turned, wrinkling his sheets in the process. His body shook as he slept, his rigid muscles acutely aching. He glistened with sweet, the air-conditioning disturbingly unhelpful.

He saw a vision of Ran in his dreams... no one else but her... only her. She was walking away from him.

It sent daggers to his heart.

_Ran! Ran!_ he tried to call out but he was mute. So he tried to reach out to her... for her... but his feet remained unmoving. He sorrowfully watched as the distance between them grew larger and larger.

He felt the sting in his eyes.

_Stop, idiot!_

Hope filled his eyes as she stopped and an aching minute passed before she turned and faced him.

She smiled at him, her eyes soaring with emotions.

_Goodbye._

_Nooooooo!_

He awoke with a start, violently clutching his chest as he sat upright from his bed, his laboured breathing disturbing the silence.

Was Ran alright? Could she be in any form of danger?

His hands itched to call her or anyone from Japan but it would be idiotic on his part to do so.  
He couldn't risk being tracked by the black organization or worst endangering the life of anyone who is connected to him. He couldn't and wouldn't risk that.

_Be alright Ran. Be alright._

"Shinihi! Shinichi!", his mother annoyingly chirped while banging the door.

Annoyance replaced the worry he felt but strangely his heart had yet to stop palpitating.

0000000

His active brain was already forming a plan on how to know of Ran's condition  
as his motor parts guided him down the stairs.

One step down and he felt the odd sensation of being watched. He swiftly turned to the outrageously large window adjacent the stairwell and almost gaped at what he saw.

"Still as jumpy as ever, Kudo."

"Haibara."

She walked out of the corner she so comfortably leaned on and shrugged.

Conan noted that she was back to her original form, hope swelled from inside him but he  
tried to quench it just in case Haibara was only testing a new antidote.

Haibara unable to read him but able to comprehend him a little, buried his doubts away.  
"This time it's permanent."

Conan could not believe his ears so he paused then repeated the only word that clung to him, "Permanent?"

Haibara was not a woman of patience but nodded and repeated the word despite it.

With weakened knees, Conan leaned on the wall opposite hers and stared at the ceiling.

Finally... the waiting's over.

A/N: Sorry for the long update. It took me awhile to actually sit in front of my laptop and write away.  
Kudos to the people who kept this on alert:  
arxas  
koyuninjagirl  
Tiffy44  
And also to the people who favorite-d:  
arxas  
Tiffy44

You guys are the coolest, thanks!

I can't promise a short update though but will definitely update this fic from time to time so  
please bear with me :D  
Reviews are most welcome at all times, positive or negative, I accept everything!


	3. Chapter 3

USUAL DISCLAIMER APPLIES!

Dark eerie silence filled the run down basement. The echoes of the little droplets of rain only added to the gloominess of the night. A tall lanky figure of a man shadowed the night. He stealthily moved to the basement's storage room, wisely unsheathing his gun out of its upholstery. He made a few signals to his outside backup and forcefully kicked the door open. Like some macho superhero, he was inside the room in an instant. His face formed a tight grin as he surveyed the empty storage area.

They were gone.

Just like every damn time.

They had been playing cat and mouse for nearly a year and the results were always the same.

What a slippery bunch but he would expect nothing less from the black organization though that doesn't mean that they will never be outwitted. Every failed encounter, he knew, was a step closer to finally closing down his lifelong enemy.

"No trace of them." he reported in his mouthpiece.

He grimaced as he heard the explicit swearing of one of the detectives in command before he expelled a long sigh and gave orders to the men in stand by.

Ah, the sweetness of the English language.

"This will be one hell of a chase, Kudo."

I was counting on it.

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Shinichi fluidly drove his black bullet-proof sports car to his well guarded house. He decided to move out of his parents' house while the Black organization is still at large. The less people involved, the better for everyone.

He momentarily stopped at the gate as a laser scanned his plate number and a swiping machine emerged from the ground. He took his card from his jean pocket, swiped it and typed his password in record time.

Authentication Approved, a male robot-like voice confirmed.

The heavy electric gate opened.

He stepped on the gas pedal and entered.

After ten seconds the gates abruptly closed.

His stony fortress emerged from his peripheral vision.

His phone vibrated.

"Kudo."

"Manners, Kudo. Manners." the man from the other line flatly stated.

"Hn."

"Where's your sense of humor tentei-san."

He rubbed his temple, his migraine suddenly coming. He could hear a woman's squeaky voice from the background.

Without hesitation, he removed his earpiece and set it on loud speaker. Not a moment too long the booming voice of Kazuha vibrated from the mouthpiece.

Tough luck.

He could hear the two fighting over who gets to talk. He looked at his phone, he could even imagine hearing the echo of their voices coming from his freaking doorstep.

Really.

Realization hit him.

Damn.

He took long strides and swang the front door with a jerk. And true to that, he saw Hattori and Kazuha wrestling for the phone.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

They froze.

"Surprise!" they said sheepishly.

"How the hell did you get in?"

Kazuha pouted while Hattori shrugged.

"To visit you while else."

"You have to do better than that." Shinichi said testily.

"Lighten up, Kudo." We'll talk business later.

Shinichi did not miss the serious intent in his eyes. He stepped sidewardly to let them in.

"Nice place Kudo-kun. If Ran was still..." Hattori's reflex was a second too late before he was able to muffle her innocent remark.

"Hey!"

Kazuha opened his mouth to start their infamous bickering session but suddenly sobered when he saw Shinichi's sudden darkened face. She faced Shinichi contritely, "I'm sorry... It's just that it had been almost a year that she was gone. And seeing you... I just can't help but miss her. Why did it have to happen to her... why."

He tried to block it out of his memory and yet it was as though it only happened yesterday.

_He was back. His body was back._

_He looked at Haibara, suddenly uncertain. "Are you sure this is permanent?"_

_Both insulted and annoyed, Haibara gave him a withering look. "This is different from the usual antidote that I give you. After a minute of intake and no instant reaction took place then I'm afraid you might have said goodbye to Kudo Shinichi forever."_

_He paled._

_Satisfied with his reaction, she continued, "Don't insult my abilities Kudo. The fact that you're standing there as Kudo Shinichi means that the antidote worked. I guarantee it with Dr. Agasa's life."_

_Tha gaping old man opened his mouth to complain but was still too stunned to actually voice it out. He was more awed than ever by the breakthrough yet again of science._

_"I don't know how to thank you enough."_

_"Treat this as we're even Kudo-kun, you would have not been in this mess in the first place if I hadn't invented that drug."_

_He nodded and slowly left Dr. Agasa's amrerican abode. _

_Once out, he slowly examined his old self, still bewildered with the turn of events._

_I'm finally back. Get ready for me idiot._

His shaking body brought him out of his state of remembrance and into the present, silently he excused himself for a moment, trying to regain his balance. He clenched his fist. On the same day he was Shinichi again, there was no hesitation as he took the first available flight to Japan. He never regarded himself as a retard but that day was an exception. He was practicing his speech on his flight back. He did not sleep a wink and neither did the people on the plane he added with dry humor. Well how the heck would he practice his speech when he did not know how bad he sounded right? So once he hopped out of the plane with everyone's relief, he traveled as fast as he could to Ran. And

what he witnessed almost broke his heart, for he did see Ran but the problem was he would never see her laugh as he delivered his soppy little speech or how she would try to make him grovel into gaining her forgiveness and regaining her love for his to keep. She was, even in his thoughts he choked the words out, dead.

And after that everything was a blur for him. His life. His very existence. Totally meaningless. But he'd avenged her death no matter how long it will take. The black organization will rot in hell if it was the last thing he would do.

A call from the office broke him from his internal grief. He ended the call in seconds and surged pass the his two Japanese friends. "I have to go."

0000000000000

He drove his car with all its arrogance, placing a police siren on top. He was not that foolish to want to get a thousand dollar fine for speeding.

He was at the crime scene at record time. Used to the stench of death, he probed in the crime scene, the sight of death a normal occurrence to him. The man was shot in the forehead on dead center. Only an expert expert marksman can shoot with such accuracy.

He took the offered gloves to search the man but movement caught his attention. He stealthily extricated himself from the investigation and followed the shadow from a distance. He itched to hold his gun but any movement would cause the attention of his shooter. They passed numerous dark deserted alleys with Shinichi keeping his presence unknown. The shadow rounded the corner. He leaned on the wall and counted from five.

One.

His brain mapped a mental image of the place.

Two.

He drew a steady breath.

Three.

He looked down at the bulge on his left.

Four.

He composed himself.

Five.

He sprang into action.

He surveyed his surroundings. Nothing. There was no sign of the shooter.

Damnation.

He heard the distinct sound of a helicopter. He ran as fast as he could out of the dark narrow ally. He saw the helicopter just a few feet above him. Unhesitating, he grabbed the landing skid and pushed himself up the helicopter's body. Bracing himself, he yanked the door open and lunged himself forward.

It was empty.

He glanced at the control unit, it was on auto-pilot.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He looked to the pilot's seat in time to glare at the bomb.

Thirty seconds before detonation.

He hastily opened the door but it won't budge.

Time was running out.

He took his gun and shot the hinges and the lock.

Fifteen seconds.

He kicked the door once, twice, he already lost count, until it collapsed down the hard pavement. He followed suit, jumping and rolling off the ground. His back ached but he swiftly stood and ran as the helicopter exploded.

He felt a stung in his back but had no time to check the extent of the damage as he heard another helicopter.

With weak knees, he gingerly headed towards the noise and swore.

He saw another helicopter a building above him.

"Nice show detective, if only for the entertainment." the shooter taunted.

He decided against drawing his gun. The helicopter was too far out of range. Instead, he studied the masked shooter, noting the fact that it was a she. The black catsuit outlined her womanly curves in a fashion fit for any man's dream. If only he could see if the face was a match with the body.

Stupid male hormones, he had no business fantasizing the criminal.

He heard her laughter.

Holy shit. He found the melodious laughter sultry and... vaguely familiar.

Reading his train of thoughts, she took off her mask. Soft brown angel's hair leapt freely from the hold.

Blue eyes met blues eyes.

Shinichi's heart thundered.

"Remember this face detective. We might be seeing a lot of each other."

How the heck would he ever forget that face. It was in his dream every damn night.

Shinichi waited for recognition to dawn her eyes. He waited for those beautiful blue eyes to soften for him and only for him but it remained emotionless and distant.

"Ran." the name sounded rusty from his lips.

"Ran?"

"Your name."

"My name? Hmmmm. Let's add a little mystery to our game won't we. Till next time detective."

She gave a mock salute as the helicopter slowly ascended farther from his reach.

000000000000

No. It was not Ran.

Ran was never like that.

She was all goodness.

He clenched and unclenched his fist.

He saw Ran lying in the coffin with his very own eyes. _With his very own eyes _damn it. How would he not know the difference. That was Ran he saw a year ago. Dead. In the coffin. It was her.

His denial tasted vile from his mouth but there was no way in hell that that was Ran. The only thing they had in common was the face. And it was easy enough for anyone including the black organization to undergo facial surgery.

_But how about the hair and the eyes? And the fact of how easy it was to find a woman with not only the same hair and eye color but also the same body._

No. How could that be Ran?

She was mad at him yes but not _mad_ enough to join the black organization. And why was it that she did not remember him? Was she acting a part? Playing a role?

No. Not Ran. Definitely not Ran. Ran was dead. She was better off dead than being used as a tool by the black organization.

He would not accept that in trying to protect her, he was actually the one who led her to danger.

No, not in a million years.

He was bottling his rage and capping the immense hurt from resurfacing.

How could the black organization ruin the memory of her.

A gentle hand on his shoulder took him out of his ugly thoughts.

"Kudo..." Heiji started, suddenly unsure if he should tell him this new development while Shinichi was out of sorts.

When he entered the house just a while ago, his face was blank, silently battling his inner demons.

All of them were since she died. But he knew Kudo was battling more than they were.

"Spit it out."

He sighed. "A week ago, Mouri-san and Eri-san received a mysterious caller from an unknown source... at first they were mad. How could anyone do such a terrible, hurtful prank but as the caller asked them to hear him out. It sounded possible."

Somehow that made Shinichi want to vomit.

"They were distressed for days. Uncertain of what to do. But two days ago they did what they believed they had to for their piece of mind..."

He collared Heiji. "What are you talking about?"

His hands shook.

He ungracefully unhanded Heiji, pocketing his trembling hands.

He gave Heiji a dead stare.

"They authorized an autopsy. It was Ran's face yes but the body was clearly not. Ran is alive..."

It was all his mind could take for a day.

His mind shut off.

Darkness engulfed him.

Kudo!

A/N: Another chapter done my dears! Hope it was up to your expectations! Until the next chapter!


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